Tuesday, October 13

Author: Juanita MORE!

Juanita MORE! is a denizen of the limelight. For almost three decades, the laudable hostess has blitzed San Francisco with high glamour, drag irreverence, and danceable beats that have illuminated the entire city. MORE! continues to be a heaping dollop of generosity and a sprinkle of nerve. She inspires those around her to make positive differences in their lives and communities — and doing it all with timeless elegance and an innovative spirit. Most recently, after her reign, Miss MORE! holds the title of Absolute Empress 56 of the Imperial Council of San Francisco –– one of the oldest non-profit organizations globally. To date, MORE! has helped raise over 1 million dollars for local charities — among them GBLT Historical Society & Archives, Our Trans Youth, Q Foundation, Queer Lifespace, Transgender Law Center, and more. In addition, MORE! tirelessly fundraises for organizations in San Francisco that are adamant about helping communities in the seven-by-seven thrive, all while shining light and offering support to those who’ve been overlooked for far too long. MORE! embodies what it means to be a conduit of connection. MORE!’ brings the people together to fundraise, celebrate community, and demand social change around San Francisco and elsewhere. Her culinary expressions are an extension of what mothers have been doing in their kitchens for generations — which, simply states, is sharing “loads of love.”
On Drag Mothers, Mentors, and Halloween
25Oct By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

On Drag Mothers, Mentors, and Halloween

This week marks the birth of both Juanita MORE! and Glamamore. There is a rich history of celebrating Halloween. I liked it as a kid because it gave me the chance to be someone else and play dress-up — classic movie monsters were my favorite, and they still are. Halloween on Polk Street, 2019 / Photo by Gooch The most spooktacular thing about Halloween in the queer community is that it is the birth night for many first-timer baby drag queens. Talk about horror running through the streets! So beware of the motherless baby queens yelling at you from down the road. Nowadays, since drag has gone mainstream, you can watch a makeup tutorial on YouTube to learn the trade tricks. However, there is something special about learning to do those things from someone you admire and love. ...
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We Must Keep Our Queer Families in San Francisco Safe From Violence
18Oct By Juanita MORE!1 Comment
Essays, News to Know, Queerness

We Must Keep Our Queer Families in San Francisco Safe From Violence

And I’ll continue shouting at the top of my lungs until we all feel secure. This past year, multiple verbal, physical, and sexual attacks, vandalism, robberies, and druggings have occurred on members of our LGBTQIA+ community in the San Francisco Bay Area. Even in what’s widely understood as the queer mecca of the world, we do not live in a safe, little queer bubble.  It reminds me of when I first came to the city, traveling back and forth from the East Bay to San Francisco on BART and noticing a change in comfort in my young queer self. We are statistically more likely to be victims of hate crimes than non-LGBTQIA+ people. We are all aware of the extreme rise in anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and the record number of bills introduced into state legislative bodies across the country; hate ...
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Growing Up a Little Brown Gay Boy in the East Bay
18Oct By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Essays, Queerness

Growing Up a Little Brown Gay Boy in the East Bay

'Coming to terms with my queerness at this age was more confusing than challenging.' When I was four years old, my dad was driving the family car — a 1956 Bel Air Chevy on our way back from a friend’s farm, where we had just finished riding horses. I was in the backseat with my sister, just barely big enough to look out the window. We pulled up to a red stoplight and waited as pedestrians passed, then a prepossessing man stepped off the curb onto the street; I could feel my heart start to race. I looked over at my sister and wanted to ask her if she saw him but quickly turned back to stare again. It looked as though he was walking in slow motion — he was handsome and had a graceful stride and confidence. And then I quietly sunk back into my seat. I questioned my thoughts, as I had...
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8 of My Favorite Neighborhood Treats in San Francisco
25Jul By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Food + Drink, Queerness

8 of My Favorite Neighborhood Treats in San Francisco

SF is home to an ever-rotating number of bakeries, donut shops, and street-side cafes — but the best treats are always in my orbit. I am a creature of habit. I find comfort in routine and the predictability of my daily tasks. For instance, I wake up at about the same time every day and make a pot of Esperanca, Brasil Ritual Coffee, which tastes like orange marmalade, milk chocolate, and toasted pecans. I then return to bed to watch the gayest news program currently on television — ABC7 Mornings with Reggie Aqui, Jobina Fortson, Drew Tuma, and last but not for a second least, Kumasi Aaron. Watching the news with them is like catching up with old friends with many important issues to discuss. It's the same with Jackson and Macho; keeping the boys on a schedule is incredibly important for...
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Drag Has Always Been in My Life
7Mar By Juanita MORE!5 Comments
Essays, Queerness

Drag Has Always Been in My Life

'With all the glitz and glamor I was subjected to growing up, you'd think it would have unwillingly forced me to become a drag queen.' I was just a kid when one of my cousins took me to see John Water's film Pink Flamingos at the Nuart Theater in Los Angeles. We smoked a joint before going into the theater, and while we were waiting for the movie to start, I swear I saw a raccoon cross the stage. Then, when the lights went down and the film began to play, I was utterly mesmerized by the screen presence of the incomparable drag queen, Divine. In the scene when the reporter asks her character Babs Johnson if she could give him some of her political beliefs –– her response "Kill everyone now! Condone first-degree murder! Advocate cannibalism! Eat shit! Filth are my politics; filth is my life...
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Loads of Valentine Love
14Feb By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Essays, Queerness

Loads of Valentine Love

‘With or without the razzle-dazzle of its seductive cover, I hope you can see that I am simply a reflection of all your love and beauty.’ I have never really loved Valentine's Day. So the production and commercialization of Valentine's classics from Hallmark and FTD florist don't interest me. However, if you want to talk about chocolates from See's Candy, I have a moment to sit and chat with you. I took a second to dive into the origins of Valentine's Day, and I don't know how I feel about the celebration. However, the following paragraph was taken directly from the interwebs: "The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern-day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — who were both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the third century. Th...
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The Most Important Person in 2023 Should Be You
27Dec By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Essays, Queerness

The Most Important Person in 2023 Should Be You

'Your well-being is most important. A healthy, more vital one will benefit yourself, those close to you, and our community.' As I look back on 2022, there are many things I'm honored and so proud to have played a role in, including the completion of my reign as Empress of The Imperial Council of San Francisco, Inc. with Emperor Mr. David Glamamore. We helped shine a brighter light on the world's oldest and largest LGBTQIA+ organizations.  Pride this year was such an incredibly magical day –– $151,000 in donations from my annual event went directly to the Q Foundation, whose goal is to ensure people have safe housing, which is now more critical than ever. The nonprofit is creating an app that will connect local LGBTQIA+ people looking for or offering safe housing, based on the 'Juanita'...
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This Week Has Seen an Alarming Number Fentanyl-Related Overdoses in San Francisco’s Queer Community
22Dec By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

This Week Has Seen an Alarming Number Fentanyl-Related Overdoses in San Francisco’s Queer Community

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, 52 overdose deaths were reported in November of this year — and 41 of those reportedly involved fentanyl. The past three years have seen a troubling number of overdoses due to fentanyl in the San Francisco LGBTQIA+ community. Fentanyl is potent and deadly; it's over 1,000 times more powerful than morphine. Over just the last four nights, friends of mine working in SF hospitals have informed me there have allegedly been at least 17 suspected fentanyl-related overdoses in local emergency rooms. Four of the alleged overdose victims died. Many of these overdose patients were reportedly gay. I worry about how safe our community is when they are obtaining recreational drugs. Drug users do not know what they are taking is perhaps laced with fen...
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Old People Need Loads of Love, Too: SF’s Sister Roma Turns 60
14Dec By Juanita MORE!No Comments
Hyperlocal News + Stories, Queerness

Old People Need Loads of Love, Too: SF’s Sister Roma Turns 60

The self-described 'most photographed nun in the world,' San Francisco's own Sister Roma is entering her sixth decade on this mortal coil today. Do you have someone special in your life that you fall into uncontrollable — gut-busting fits of laughter? On many occasions, I've walked away from a particular person... because I was laughing so hard I was going to piss my panties. That person, for me, is the self-proclaimed"most photographed nun in the world," the astonishing Sister Roma! This week we celebrate her birth - as she turns the big 6-0! She is an activist, fundraiser, Master of Ceremonies, a glamorous clown (I lifted that off of her Wikipedia), and has been a member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence since 1987. An organization that has not only brought smiles to our faces b...
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On Love in SF During the Early Years of the AIDS Epidemic
1Dec By Juanita MORE!1 Comment
Essays, Queerness

On Love in SF During the Early Years of the AIDS Epidemic

The love I shared with a man in San Francisco during these hard years still lingers with me — decades later. I woke up this morning on World AIDS Day thinking about a guy I dated in 1983. His name was Tom, and he lived just around the corner from my Castro District flat. We would flirt as we passed each other on our way to or from work until we finally stopped and had a conversation. Then, we made a date to see a movie and began a very casual year-long relationship. Tom helped cultivate a relationship built around the foundation of kindness. Tom was so sweet and always had the biggest smile for me. But, he was also private and could be very emotional at times. He was the type of guy that would show up on my doorstep to drop off a cup of coffee from Cafe Flore on his way to work. While ...
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